Lightnings and Candles
by Kattebutt
Summary: [Oneshot] [IchiRuki] Rukia is kept awake, frightened by a strange sound caused by a phenomenon called 'lightnings'. But Ichigo knows a certain technique to comfort his female friend. R


**A/N: Ok so this is my first Bleach oneshot. Last night I watched the lightnings in the night as well and**** let me tell you, I just got awfully inspired so I just had to write this. I simply love lightnings. They're both beautiful and mysterious at the same time. I can't help but get fascinated by them. Please forgive me, but I was inspired by Maydrei's idea of Rukia not knowing what lightning is and therefore afraid. Rukia isn't one to be afraid of lightnings if she knew what they were so I just kinda figured she had be ignorant then. So please forgive me if you got a problem with it and if that's too hard then tell me and I'll do something about it. Kay?**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, though its on my wish list for Christmas :D**

**Enjoy.**

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The silence was broken by a loud noise, coming from the sky.

Violet eyes shot open again.

After many tries to fall asleep she finally gave up. That strange noise coming from outside the closet. She had never heard something like that before. Once in a while a light would shine into the closet through small openings she didn't ever really notice.

The noise came again.

"_What the hell is this? It __can't be a hollow. If that was the case Ichigo would probably already have gotten rid of it. So just what in the world is it?"_ she thought and with that decided to get out from the closet and find out what it was, there was no way she'd fall asleep anyway.

She slowly opened the closet door and peeked out. The room was dark, but yet sometimes it was illuminated by a bright light from outside. And then the noise came again. Her gaze fell to her companion's bed. He was lying in it, but it seemed he was awake too.

She took a better look.

Yes he was awake, lying on the bed with his arms under his head, gazing out of the window. Perhaps looking at whatever it was that was out there.

Somehow he must have heard the door to the closet open because shortly after Rukia opened the door he looked at her with eyes that didn't seem the least tired.

"Can't sleep, huh?" he asked.

"I guess not." she answered and stepped out. Ichigo sat up in bed and turned towards the window again as a new blinding light appeared. It caused the room to lit up again and make a silhouette of the young man in the bed. And just as it appeared, it vanished.

Rukia walked up to the window and sat in the bed next to him, following his gaze out in the black night.

Just as she did a cracking noise appeared as if the sky was crumbling.

Rukia jumped and she felt her pulse speed up instantaneously. Ichigo noticed and looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Afraid of lightnings?"

"If that's what those lights are called then you're probably right. I've never seen something like this. I mean in Soul Society we **do **have rain and storms but these "lightnings"… I've never heard of such things." she said and stared at the sky. A lightning appeared and she widened her eyes a little. "Though it's not the lightnings that frighten me. It's that booming noise that seems to come after. You know what that is, right?"

Ichigo nodded slightly and smiled a small smile.

"Yeah… Its call-" he said but was cut of by the loud noise. He sighed and waited for the noise to disappear. Then he continued. "It's called thunder. It comes right after the lightnings. Actually it's the sound of the lightnings you hear, but the speed of sound is slower than the speed of light so you see the lightning before you hear the sound. You know about the speed of sound and stuff like that don't ya?"

"Yes. But still these lightnings… what exactly are they?" she asked, fascinated by these lightnings and his explanation of the strange phenomena.

"Well it's…" he sighed. Explaining how a lightning worked wasn't as simple as he expected. He didn't know **that **much about it anyway. "…some extreme hot energy that comes out from the clouds and they can burn everything it hits, and kill everyone it strikes. But don't worry though, while were in here it can't hit us." He smiled reassuringly. "And don't even ask me about how the lightnings appear cuz im not gonna explain **that **too."

Rukia just nodded and turned her attention to the unusual weather outside. Even though he had assured her that they couldn't get hit, she couldn't help but jump as thunder sounded again.

"You're shaking…" he mentioned. True enough she was shaking slightly.

"Hm I guess I am. I didn't notice." she just said.

"Ya know its ok to be afraid of lightning. Karin was a few years ago, Yuzu still are and even I was when I was about 5." he said and an idea popped into his mind. "Wait here, I'll be back in a minute." he said and left the bed soon after exiting his room.

Rukia could hear his footsteps down the stairs and then disappear. She was still shaking, though not because of the lightnings but it was as if the room had become colder when the owner went out. She covered her arms with her hands, eyes still looking out at the night.

She didn't notice when Ichigo re-entered before a blanket was draped around her shoulders. She smiled as he sat down beside her again. He was holding something. A candle?

He placed it in the window and lit it.

"My mom used to do this when I was scared of lightnings. I dunno why, but it helped me. She also used to do this:" he said and moved closer to the raven haired girl. He sat behind her and protectively wrapped his arms around her shoulders. "I always felt safe when she did that."

Rukia flinched a bit at first but then relaxed, though her heart still racing madly and she felt her cheeks burn. She smiled. It worked for her too.

"You know, when you take a second look at these lightnings they somehow look quite beautiful." she said quietly.

"Hmm guess you're right. I never really noticed before." he said and looked up as a new lightning blinked.

"Beautiful and yet dangerous. How poetic." She smiled.

"Yeh… It reminds me of something too." he whispered. _"__**Someone**__ to be precise."_

"What?"

"Nothing." he said rather quickly.

They sat there for a while, just looking at the candle burning tranquilly as the thunder ceased.

Rukia was the first to break the silence.

"Ichigo?" she whispered.

"Mm?" Ichigo mumbled in reply.

"Thank you."

He smiled. "Don't mention it."

Silence fell again.

Ichigo watched as the flame on thin candle was about to die out and looked down at the small girl in his arms.

"Asleep, huh?" He brushed a strand of hair away from her face and smiled softly. "That's how it usually ended up for me, too."

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_A/N: What Ichigo does here in the story with the candle is actually something my father used to do when I __was afraid of lightnings. The age was about the same age Ichigo had. I don't know but somehow it helped when he lit a candle for me. I just thought it would fit well into the story. So I hoped you liked it and the sweetness of candle lit by our beloved strawberry. _

_Thank you for reading. Please review._

_Shirou Hana_


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